Mohamed Wasia Charinda was born in the Nakapanya village in the Ruvuma region in southern Tanzania in 1947. Charinda’s teacher was Hashim Mruta. Charinda started to paint in 1975. It is said that he was the first painter who changed from masonite boards to textile canvas, which was in 1989. Until then all Tinga Tinga painters used the wooden sheets. The reason was mainly commercial as Charinda saw that the potential customers would rather carry a painting on textile than a heavy wooden sheet.

Charinda's art is well known and his illustrations are used in many books. Among them is the french book called Kilimandjaro written by Jean Denis Joubert and Eric Christin. However it seems that Charinda is mostly popular in Italy where he was selected artist of the Sarenco Foundation.

Charinda is also included in the book ANGAZA AFRIKA by Chris Spring, curator at Sainsbury African galleries at the British Museum of London. He exhibited in Switzerland in 1999 and in Reunion Island with John Kilaka in 2000 and many other places. Charinda took also part in a recent documentary about Tanzanian art directed by Ian Serfontei for The Africa Channel UK. You can watch the documentary bellow. The interview with Mr.Charinda starts at 11:35.

His three sons also paint: Athumani (teacher of Zuberi and John Mwangu), Apai and Amili. His daughter Fatuma married recently with Maulana Saidi (The illustrator of Tinga Tinga Tales by BBC/Disney) Charinda´s wife Dalili also paints (photo 2 from left).

Charinda is the a great story teller. His paintings are inspired by the rich story telling tradition of the Makua tribe. One of the tales presented on Tinga Tinga Studio is about Shimbonje. He also depicts political and historical events.